WADESBORO— On Thursday, Jan. 27, employees of the town of Wadesboro's Street Department were honored as 2010 Main Street Champions at the North Carolina Main Street Annual Awards Dinner in Shelby. They were selected for this special recognition by Uptown Wadesboro, Inc. in appreciation of their exceptional contributions to the downtown revitalization process. Along with Champions from 33 other communities, the Wadesboro Street Department staff received a certificate commemorating this designation, presented by N.C. Secretary of Commerce J. Keith Crisco, Deputy Secretary Dale Carroll, Assistant Secretary for Community Development Henry C. McKoy Jr. and Office of Urban Development Director Liz Parham.

Each of the state's active Main Street programs is given the opportunity annually to recognize a local Main Street Champion. The dedication and hard work of countless volunteers is required to make a local Main Street program successful, and the Main Street Champion designation acknowledges the extraordinary efforts of those persons who have played pivotal roles in the revitalization of their downtowns.

"Main Street Champions are those individuals in our communities who step out in front, lead by example, defend and support our downtown vision and mission, and advocate for change," said Parham. "They are board members and volunteers, elected officials and government staff, business leaders, property owners and citizens who care. We celebrate these extraordinary individuals and thank them for their dedication."

In recommending the town of Wadesboro's Street Department staff for this honor, Uptown Wadesboro, Inc. offered the following:

"From special events to day-to-day maintenance, the town of Wadesboro Street Department does an exceptional job ensuring that uptown is clean and attractive. With the strong support of the Street Department, many events are made possible. Fall Festivals, Summer Jams and 5K run/walks go off without a hitch with department employees there to handle setup and cleanup. After an event, Wadesboro is back to its daily appearance in no time."

"Another important contribution that the department makes is in the day-to-day maintenance of the uptown area. Replacing lights, cleaning the streets and pruning trees are just a few of the many tasks required to keep uptown looking its best. Wadesboro Street Department employees are the greatest keepers of uptown's appearance."

Uptown Wadesboro, Inc. applauds the town of Wadesboro Street Department for all of the unacknowledged time and effort they give to make uptown Wadesboro such a great place to work and visit. "We are proud to recognize them as our 2010 N.C. Main Street Champions," said a spokesperson.

Main Street is a downtown revitalization program for smaller towns based on economic development within the context of historic preservation. The North Carolina Main Street program, which provides technical assistance to its communities, is part of the Office of Urban Development in the Department of Commerce's Division of Community Assistance.

In 1980, North Carolina was one of six original states, selected from 38 that applied, to launch the work of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's National Main Street Center. The North Carolina Main Street program began with five participating cities— New Bern, Salisbury, Shelby, Tarboro and Washington— in September 1980 and has since grown to include 61 communities across the state.